Previews

Madden NFL 08

EA is bringing the league's most potent weapons to this year's NFL game.

Spiffy:

Weapons system is a fun and novel take on Madden; numerous gameplay refinements; 60 frames per second!

Iffy:

Few improvements coming for Superstar mode; Ladainian Tomlinson not on the cover.

The first two Madden games for the current generation of console systems didn't quite deliver that next-generation gameplay or innovation that die-hard franchise devotees were waiting for. Since EA has NFL exclusivity, one could argue that the Madden developers had grown complacent. For the most part, the Xbox and PlayStation 2 versions of Madden have offered superior gameplay options and more robust feature sets. Things are about to change, however, now that 2K is set to bring some competition with the debut of All Pro Football. The team behind Madden NFL 08 is stepping it up as evidenced by our most recent play time with a demonstration build at EA's E3 Preview event. With true next-generation animation and visuals, significant gameplay enhancements, and the requisite yearly roster update, we're getting our hopes up for this being the best Madden game yet.

The Best Madden Ever?

Producer David Ortiz is determined to get things right, and urged us to ask for anything we wanted in this year's Madden. While the focus in 08 is on getting the gameplay done right, the team is definitely refining areas that need it and bringing in features that have been missing since the transition to next-gen. The animation system has been thoroughly reworked, with far fewer canned animations and more control over your player. The animations he brought to our attention included the new-and-improved gang-tackling and the sideline catches. Watching top-rated receivers make one-armed catches and "dotting the i" to keep both feet in the end zone will make for more exciting big-play action. And now that the game is running at a silky-smooth 60 frames per second, the action is as fast-paced and responsive as you could hope for.

Madden 08 also introduces the concept of "weapons" this year. Every NFL team will have its own weapons, those being the high-profile playmakers that always make the highlight reels on ESPN. The Kansas City Chiefs, for example, will have a potent pair of offensive weapons in running back Larry Johnson and tight end Tony Gonzalez. LJ is a weapon in two different ways, once as a power running back who can bowl people over, but also as a weapon with his potent stiff arm, able to shed would-be defenders. Smart Quarterbacks like Brett Favre (if he doesn't retire) and Peyton Manning are weapons as well, able to break down opposing defenses as a game goes on. This year's New England Patriots look to be particularly dangerous, with multiple weapons on the field, including newly-acquired Randy Moss and media-darling Tom Brady. Defensive superstars like Champ Bailey and Julius Peppers are superstars in their own rights as well, with defensive weapon types ranging from Smart Linebackers to Shutdown Corners.

The franchise mode will be more robust this year as well. You can create custom teams, with player-created uniforms and their own stadium in the city of your choice. Lots of franchise addicts were annoyed at the inclusion of Hall of Fame players in last year's drafts, so you can turn those off this time around. You'll be able to edit your players in order to keep their stats in line with their progress in the NFL, or you can give your home team players the 99 attribute scores that EA clearly overlooked when allocating them (or 100, as in the case of Devin Hester's controversial speed rating.)

You'll be able to take control of the careers of some of this year's rookie class, like Oakland Quarterback Jamarcus Russell, Detroit's latest first-round wideout Calvin Johnson, Minnesota's injury-risk "AD" Adrian Peterson, or the hobbled speedster that Miami decided to pass up on Brady Quinn for in the first round, Ted Ginn, Jr. Hopefully his speed will make up for newly acquired Trent Green's advanced age, at least in the video game world of Madden. You'll also be able to import your Campus Legend from this year's NCAA game. Making a comeback as well is the Owner mode that's been missing from the first two next-gen releases, as well as a fantasy draft.

We didn't get to spend as much time playing Madden NFL 08 as we'd have liked, but such is the nature of these preview events: they're meant to tease us, making us want to come back for more when E3 finally rolls around. We'll definitely try to nail down some more time with Madden next month, when you can look forward to the latest details.